The Bhagavad Gita (2003)

By Juan Mascaró

The Bhagavad Gita (; Sanskrit: भगवद्गीता, IPA: [ˌbʱɐɡɐʋɐd ˈɡiːtaː], romanized: bhagavad-gītā, lit. 'God's song'), often referred to as the Gita (IAST: Gītā), is a Hindu scripture, likely composed in the second or first century BCE, which forms part of the epic poem Mahabharata. The Bhagavad Gita is a synthesis of various strands of Indian religious thought, including the Vedic concept of dharma (duty, rightful action); Sankhya-based yoga and jñana (knowledge); and bhakti (devotion). Among the Hindu traditions, the Bhagavad Gita holds a unique pan-Hindu influence as the most prominent sacred text and is a central text in the Vedanta and Vaishnava traditions. While traditionally attributed to the sage Veda Vyasa, the Bhagavad Gita is historiographically regarded as a composite work by multiple authors. Incorporating teachings from the Upanishads and the Samkhya Yoga philosophy, the Bhagavad Gita is set in a framework of dialogue between the Pandava prince Arjuna and his charioteer guide Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, at the onset of the Kurukshetra War. While the Bhagavad Gita praises the benefits of yoga in releasing man's inner essence from the bounds of desire and the wheel of…

Published

2003

Pages

85